Kansas City Wizards To Play A.C. St. Louis In Inaugural "Supporters Showdown"

The Kansas City Wizards announced today the club's formation of a new competition, with fellow Midwestern club A.C. St. Louis set to be the inaugural opponent. The contest, dubbed the "Supporters' Showdown," will consist of a game between the Kansas City Wizards and A.C. St. Louis first teams, followed by a match between supporters of both clubs.

The games will be played back-to-back on Saturday, March 20th at the Wizards' Swope Park training facility, with the Wizards and A.C. St. Louis playing first at 2 p.m. Immediately afterwards, the supporters' teams will play each other on an adjacent field. The winner of the competition will be determined by combining the scores of the two games, with a trophy awarded to the captain of the winning teams' supporters.

"Knowing nothing about the talent of their supporter group, I'd say they don't have a chance," joked Robert Houghton, president of the Hillcrest Syndicate, of the Wizards' largest fan groups. "But I think it's going to be fun. We're all out there for the same reason, and that's to see the sport be successful."

"The Supporters Showdown is a great and unique way for us to continue to foster our strong relationship with our fans," Kansas City Wizards forward Davy Arnaud said. "I know the team and Wizards supporters will be ready to play on March 20th and we look forward to a great event."

Admission to the games will be free for season ticket holders and $5 for the general public. Wizards fans interested in participating in the supporters' game should contact Sam Pierron at (913) 387-3413 or at spierron@kcwizards.com for more information. Only Wizards season ticket holders will be eligible to participate in the Wizards team for the supporters' match.

The Wizards will also play a second game against A.C. St. Louis on April 3rd at the Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park in Fenton, Missouri.

Founded in November 2009, A.C. St. Louis will play its inaugural season in the NASL Division of the USSF Division 2 Pro League this year. The team boasts former MLS All-Star and U.S. National Team member Steve Ralston as a player/assistant coach and is led by Head Coach Claude Anelka, brother of Chelsea and France striker Nicolas Anelka.

The Kansas City Wizards are now accepting renewals from current season ticket holders and new season ticket deposits for the 2010 Major League Soccer season. The Wizards will begin the 2010 campaign with a home match on Saturday, March 27 at 7:30 p.m. CT against D.C. United at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. Kansas City, a charter member of Major League Soccer, will play its 15th season in 2010.

Fans who renew their season tickets or purchase new season-ticket packages will retain an early priority number that will determine seat locations in Kansas City's new stadium, which was approved Jan. 19, 2010. To renew season tickets or place a deposit for new season tickets, call the Wizards locally at 888-4KC-GOAL or 913-387-3400 or visit www.kcwizards.com.

Kansas City is one of 18 cities included in the USA Bid Committee's bid to FIFA. The USA Bid Committee will submit their bid to FIFA in May, with FIFA choosing the host nations for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups in December of 2010. To support the effort, Kansas Citians are asked to sign the petition at www.goUSAbid.com/kc and pass the petition along to their friends and family.